Project Description
Marcos Hernandez, Fellow
Ellen Ochoa Learning Center
Los Angeles, CA
Marcos Hernandez is a community leader and principal at Ochoa Learning Center with a passion for improving schools in Southeast Los Angeles. As an immigrant to Southeast Los Angeles, he experienced first-hand the challenges and pressures students and their families face every day and uses his story to teach what is possible when one overcomes these obstacles, and reaps the benefits of an excellent education. He creates a relational culture with the focus of building the leadership capacity of staff to accelerate learning. Under his leadership, Tweedy Elementary became a California Gold Ribbon School. Currently he leads the first PK-8th Dual Language span school to become WASC accredited in the area, one of the first community schools in the area, and has doubled the number of programs and partnerships for kids including: Robotics, Turnaround Arts, LA Football Club, LA Bicycle Coalition, Horizon Grand Prix, and Dr. Ellen Ochoa. As a result, the school offers one of the best Dual Language, Arts and Science educational programs in the area, including an outstanding orchestra program. He creates vital Parent Centers and builds a welcoming environment for parents by designing parent engagement academies that began with hundreds of home visits. During the pandemic his school became a beacon of hope for the community by helping to feed thousands of families and raising money to support students who lost a parent. He is committed to breaking the cycles of poverty and oppression by providing a high quality, transformative education for all students.
Soraya Ramos, Ally
Categorical Program Advisor
Ellen Ochoa Learning Center
Los Angeles, CA
Soraya Ramos was born and raised in Los Angeles where she has been an educator for the Los Angeles Unified School District for 25 years. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from California State University, Long Beach in Political Science and earned her Master’s Degree from California State University, Northridge in Educational Leadership. Soraya has served as both the Assistant Principal and Categorical Program Advisor at Ellen Ochoa Learning Center, a TK-8 Dual Language Span School in Southeast Los Angeles. Prior to taking on those roles, she was a general and special education teacher for twelve years. As an educational leader her focus has been to build teacher capacity in providing students opportunities to engage in meaningful academic discourse. Soraya is a staunch believer in biliteracy and was an integral part in bringing the Dual Language Spanish Program to her previous school where she also co-authored the plan that earned them The California Distinguished School recognition. As an educator who grew up in the community she serves, she values the work it takes to plan and design an enriched academic program that motivates and is culturally and linguistically relevant to students. She understands the importance of parent involvement and thrives in developing opportunities for parent engagement by providing training to parents and community members through various academic workshops and presentations. Soraya is a proud advocate for English Learners success and is determined to help narrow the achievement gap for all students by diminishing the inequities in education that surround her community.